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Alison

Roasted eggplant and sautéed mushrooms give these “meatballs” from Nikki Dinki’s Meat on the Side: Delicious Vegetable-Focused Recipes for Every Day plenty of heft. “Serve these to your kids and after they gobble them up, you will be in my debt forever — because your kids just ate a ball of veggies, and they liked it!” Dinki promises. They’re delicious tucked into sandwiches or served with pasta, spaghetti squash or “zoodles.” “These ‘meatballs’ are even great with mac and cheese,” Dinki adds.

You can make the meatballs ahead of time and refrigerate or freeze (freeze them in a single layer, then transfer to a heavy-duty zip-top bag). Bake refrigerated balls for 5 minutes and frozen balls for 10 minutes at 400°F .

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Directions

Cut eggplant in half lengthwise and place, cut side up, on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Drizzle with 1 Tbsp oil. Bake 25-30 minutes or until tender. Set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, combine mushrooms, onion, poblano, garlic, thyme and rosemary in a food processor; pulse until finely chopped. (If your processor is small, do this in batches.) Do not overprocess.

Heat remaining 2 Tbsp oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in chopped vegetables; sauté 7-10 minutes or until tender and moisture they give off has evaporated.

Scoop flesh from eggplant into food processor. Process until pureed. Measure ¾ cup eggplant puree, reserving any extra for another use. Stir into vegetables in pan, and transfer mixture to a large bowl. Let stand until cool enough to handle.

Stir in bread crumbs, egg and salt. Roll mixture into 1-inch balls and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake 25-30 minutes or until browned on the outside.